The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-17
AMONG THE MORMONS.
SIGHTS SEEN DURING A VISIT 70
SALT LAKE CITY.

ONII LIME VII v
Tho "CO-opcrative st0re''.A Description
OF the Observation-Disclosures Playing
During servicss-subjects Treated Of
from the Mormon Pulpit.
Having few purchases to make we sailed
forth, and our first exploration was of the
shops, the most important of which Is the
new cooperative store" which bears the
following sign "Holiness to the Lord.
lions Cooperative Mercatile Institution"
A large eye is painted OH the sign, with gilt
rays diverging from 1t In every direction.
Here our wants were quickly and satisfac-
torily supplied. We found the prices Of dry
goods about the same as In San Francisco
and Chicago.
Our next visit was to tho tabernacle, where
the religious services are held. The building
is.surrounded by high wall which incloses a
very large space, within which the endow-
ment house and the new temple, then in pro-
cess of erection, also stand The tabernacle
is an enormous building, elliptical In shape,
built Of wood and with q round roof, sup
ported on many columns, which surround the
exterior of tho building. There are an in
credible number Of exits, and though the
building holds 49, 900 people, we were assured
that in one minute and half it could be
emptied. Shabby as was the exterior Of the
implanted building, the interior was even
more dreary. The roof was thickly hung
with garlands which were green six years ago
when they were hung in honor of some special
ceremony, and paper flowers of the same date
were scattered profusely about. There is
wide gallery running round three sides of the
building, and the floor slopes in such man.
ner as to allow those sitting in the rear to
command good view Of the pulpits. The
body of the tabernacle is occupied by ordinary
pews, but in the middle Of the building Is
large tank, guarded by four terra Gotta beasts
which we were told were lions.
During the services fountain springs from
the center of the tank. could not learn the
significance of this novel feature, if signifl-
canoe it has. One lady told me that they
"thought it a pleasant thing to have foun-
tain playing during services, so-they had
it," Were the tabernacle a temperance
stronghold, this libation would have seemed
more appropriate At one end of the build
ing is platform with three tables, one above
the other, which are called pulpits. At tho
highest one sit the president and two Of his
councillors; the second one is reserved for the
munion is administered every Sunday water
being substituted for wine.
, On each side of the pulpits were number
of benches, which the guardian told us "were
reserved for those of the brethren who were
hard of hearing" At the back of the plat
form stands the organ. which is the
glory and pride of the saints, who
claim that it is only second in size
among American organs. 1t is really
very handsome, rejecting great credit on the
native designer, for the entire organ was
made at Salt Lake City. The acoustic proper
ties Of the tabernacle are very remarkable.
Standing at the extreme end Of the gallery,
we heard a pin dropped upon the platform
and the sound of low whisper with perfect
distinctness. At convenient point stand
several large barrels of water with tin cups
attached, for the benefit Of the thirsty ones in
the assembly. The religious exercises are
held in the tabernacle OH Sunday. They con-
sist of the singing of hymns, prayer from
the president and q sermon from some one Of
the apostles.
HE subjects treated from the Mormon pull
pit cover very wide range, including all
temporal as well as spiritual points OF inter-
est. A writer on this subject says Sin the
great tabernacle one will hear sermons, or
advice on the culture of sorghum, infant bap-
tism, upon the best manure for cabbages,
upon the perseverance Of the saints, upon the
wickedness of the Swimming Of milk before its
SALE upon the best method Of cleaning water
bitches, upon bed bug poison, upon tho price
of real estate, upon the teething OF children,
upon the martyrs and prosecutions of the
church, terrible denunciatisns of Gentiles and
the enemies OF the Mormons, upon olive oil as
81, no O,din If |
priesthood, upon the character Of Melchisidec,
upon abstinence from plug tobacco, upon
chignons, upon twenty YARD dresses, upon
plural marriage, ETC."
Leaving the tabernacle, our next visit was
to the new temple, beautiful building then
in process of erection. The material used in
its constructions a peculiar black and white
granite uuarried from one of the mountains
near by. This edifce is to be reserved for
the "more sacred rites Of baptism and endow-
ment," we learned, marking that the cere-
mony of sealing or endowment, for SO they
designate the marriage ceremony, Is consld-
cred by them more sacred than the services
in praise Of the Creator. The ceremony Of
endowment is one that no Gentle is allowed
to witness. On asking one OF the Mormon
ladies whom we met the nature OF its rites,
she said: "The ceremony Of sealing differs
from the marriage ceremonies in the world
in this particular-that with us it unites the
husband and wife throughout all eternity,
instead of being only for time, and conse-
quently is termed celestial marriage. The
wife's vow of obedience to her husband is
not included in the ceremony at all, SO that
1t differs in this particular also" We were
anxious to hear concerning the marriage gar
ments worn on these occasions, but our Nor
mon friend on this point was not 30 COM
municative.-Cor. Boston Transcript.
Tho Infants Inheritance.